Machine for sealing mail-matter.



L. J. HALL.

MACHINE FOR SEALING MAIL MATTER.

APPLICATION HLED MAY 20, 1911.

1,173,264. Patented Feb.29, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l- 60 A? a f fa 51402 when m WM THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60., WASHINGTON, D. c.

L. J. HALL.

MACHINE FOR SEALING MAIL MATTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20,1911.

1,173,264. Patented Feb.29,1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2- THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D- c.

L. J. HALL.

MACHINE FOR SEALING MAIL MATTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20. 1911.

l 173,264. Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0-. WASHINGTON, D. c.

L. J. HALL.

MACHINE FOR SEALING MAIL MATTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY20, 1911.

1,173,264. Patented Feb.29,1916.

5 SHEETSSHEET 4.

- Mag/ 4? A; Arm/mm THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D. c.

L. I. HALL.

MACHINE FOR SEALING MAIL MATTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20. 19H.

1 9 173,264, Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

5 $HEETSSHEET 5- BY a g 'w/t I.

A TTORNEY-S THE COLUMBIA FLANOI RAPH 60.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

WTED ETATEE PATENT OFFTEE.

LOUIS J. HALL, OF FREEPORT, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE MORRIS-HALL MAIL CLOSER COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

MACHINE FOR SEALING MAIL-MATTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedFeb.29,1916.

Original application filed February 11, 1910, Serial No. 543,346. Divided and this application filed May To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Louis J. HALL, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Freeport, county of Nassau, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Sealing Mail-Matter, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the machine complete; Fig. 2 a horizontal sectional view showing the sealing and stacking devices; Fig. 3 a detail plan View of the flap moistening apron and its operating means; Fig. 4: a detail vertical sectional view of the flap moistening device; Fig. 5 a horizontal sectional view of the moistening belt, the liquid receptacle being shown in plan view; Fig. 6 a detail vertical sectional view showing the means for varying the level in the tank of the flap moistening device; Fig. 7 a side elevation of the stacker lever and its operating cam; Fig. 8 a front elevation of the upper portion of the machine, showing the feed rolls on one side of the envelop track, the rolls and other mechanism on the other side of said track being removed; Fig. 9 a front view showing the feed rolls which are removed from Fig. 8; Fig. 10 a side elevation of the envelop retaining roll, the escapement, and the presser fingers operating in conjunction therewith; Fig. 11 a plan view of the devices shown in Fig. 10 and Fig. 12 a side elevation of the envelop holder adapted to engage the upper edges of the envelops.

This application is a division of my application filed February 11, 1910, Serial No. 543,346, machines for sealing and stamping mail matter, and such parts as may be shown herein and not completely described are fully shown and described in the said original application.

Referring to the various parts by numerals, 1 designates the main frame of the machine; 2 the receiving magazine into which the envelops to be sealed are stacked; 3 the envelop feeding means; 6 the stack or magazine for the sealed envelops and 7 the stacker device- These various mechanisms Serial No. 628,439.

will now be described in the order in which they operate upon the envelop.

Magazine and separat0r.-The magazine consists of a downwardly and inwardly i11- clined table or support 10 and a side 14 on which one edge of each envelop bears. In the magazine and traveling on the inclined bottom thereof is a feeding weight 2 by means of which the envelops are kept pressed into contact with the releasing device 26.

On a horizontal shaft 15 directly in front of the open lower end of the magazine is mounted the first separator roll 16, said roll comprising three separated parallel disks so located as to engage the face of the foremost envelop. The envelops are arranged in the magazine with their longest edges vertical and their flaps extended, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. 4C, so that the first separator roll will engage the envelop on its sealing side. A portion of the periphery of the first separator roll is formed of rubber 17 having horizontal serrations therein at intervals. in 'order'to increase the gripping effect of the roll on the envelop. This roll is arranged to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, and serves to deliver the envelops downwardly into the machine. On a horizontal shaft 18 locat d directly below shaft 15 is the second separator roll 19, said roll having a broad face and operating between two of the disks of the roll 16 and serving to engage the envelops below the first roll. A portion 20 of this roll is also formed of rubber which is horizontally serrated. A portion only of the rolls 16 and 19 is formed of serrated rubber, for the reason that these I'Olls time the feeding of the envelop. They operate in time with the escapement 31, which will be hereinafter described, and exert a strong feeding impulse on the one envelop when it is needed and do not exert any appreciable feeding pressure when the escapement is holding back the envelops. This avoids injury to the envelop; avoids crowding an envelop against the escapement, and allows the retaining roll, which will be hereinafter described. to

more easily hold back succeeding envelops. Furthermore, the feeding impulse caused by the edge of the rubber as it strikes the envelop is stronger than if the rubber were continuous. A vertical guide plate 21 is arranged opposite the open delivery end of the magazine and between it and the separator rolls, said plate extending vertically downwardly almost to the stamping and sealing table 22 and forming a guide for the envelops throughout their downward movement. This plate is slotted to permit the separator and feed rolls to project through it.

In bearings on the lower portion of the magazine at the delivery end thereof is a rock shaft 23*. On said rock shaft is loosely mounted a depending bifurcated link 24: in the lower end of which is journaled one end of a horizontal shaft 24. On this shaft and between the arms of the link 24 is secured a retaining roll 25 having preferably a rub ber periphery, and being so arranged that it will lie very close to the periphery of the second separator roll 19. This retaining roll is rotated in the direction indicatedby the arrow in Fig. 1, and in the same direction as the rotation of the separator roll so that their adjoining faces move in opposite directions. On the rock shaft 23* is loosely mounted a curved presser finger 23 which directsthe envelops between the second separator roll and the retaining roll. This presser finger is bifurcated and straddles the retaining roll in order to engage the envelop on both sides of said roll, to press the envelop against the second separator roll be low the center of the retaining roll. This increases the feeding power of said roll and insures the passing of the envelop into the bite of rolls 4:3 and 14. The finger 23 may yield to permit envelops of different thicknesses to pass downwardly. The purpose of the retaining roll is to prevent more than one envelop being fed downwardly by the separator rolls and it will be readily seen that by rotating as described its tendency will be to lift the envelops and return'them' toward the magazine. It is clear that the friction of the two separator rolls on an envelop will readily overcome the friction of the retaining roll, and that, therefore, this latter roll will not prevent the proper feeding of a single envelop. If, however, two envelops pass downwardly from thef magazine the one which is engaged by the! two separator rolls will be moved on down-) wardly in the machine. In: order to hold the envelops in pro envelop t0 passbelow said escapement. The

position to be automatically fed froln the magazine, I provide a sensitive anti-fric tion holding device 26 for the upper edges-I of the envelops. This holder is mounted onf a bracket 27 connected to a water tank 28.

said. holding device being vertically-adjust able on said bracket in order to properly place it on the upper edges of envelops of different lengths. By means of this holding device the envelops are held in an inclined position, as indicated in Fig. 1, so that their lower edges will be properly presented to the separator rolls. I have found that by providing this device the feeding of the envelops will proceed automatically without any likelihood of the machine becoming clogged by reason of the uneven feed of envelops. The feed'weight 2 automatically moves down the inclined bottom of the magazine and feeds the envelops keeping them pressed against the feed rolls 16. The upper edges of the envelops bear against the holding device, keeping said edges pressed'baclnvard and causing the envelops to incline upwardly and outwardly away from the feedroll until they drop off the edge of said plate. This prevents an. excessive number of envelops crowding down between the separator roll anditheedge of the bottom of the magazine, permitting only vents any envelops from passing, but at the proper time, that is, at the time when the rubber portions of the rolls 16 and 19 engage an envelop, recedes slightly to allow one envelop. to pass.

The escapement is yield'ingly pressed against the guide plate 21 by means of a spring 33, one end of which is connected with the escapement through a screw 34, the other end of said'spring being connected to a rigid part carried by the bracket 32. On the shaft of the retaining roll is arranged an escapement-operating finger 35 which is adapted to engage a pin 36 on the edge of the escapement. This operating finger is so timed in its movement with respect to-the separator rolls that it willmove the escapement outwardly and away. from the guide plate 21 at the proper. time and just sufiiciently to permit a small portion of one actionxof the escapement is so timed that it will permit the separator rolls to move the end of one envelop downwardly below the point of contact between. said rolls and the retaining roll and will; almost instantly return to its holding position pressing lightly against the face of the passing envelop to retain the second envelop should there be one engaged by the retaining roll, sai'd second envelop resting on said escapement, the pressure of the escapement not being suiiicient to retard the passing envelop.

In order to support the envelops and hold them in proper position for the feed and separator rolls I provide a pair of guide plates 37 which are rigidly secured at their upper ends to the rock shaft 23*, their lower ends forming guides and supports to hold the envelops in position to be engaged by the second separator roll and the retaining roll. One of the guides 37 is provided with an arm 39 which is adapted to be adjusted by a screw 40, and is maintained yieldingly in position by a spring 41. The operation of -these devices will be readily understood from what is shown in Fig. 1 of the arm 39 and its adjusting screw and spring. The vertical guide plate 21 is curved outwardly at 42 to insure the envelops contacting with the escapement 31.

From the foregoing it is thought the operation and construction of the magazine and the separator will be readily understood.

F lap moistener.-Below the separator rolls and on each side of the envelop path are arranged feeding or conveying rolls 43 and 44, the roll 44 being arranged to yield to allow for varying thicknesses of envelops. These two rolls are adapted to engage the envelop and to move it downwardly as will be more fully hereinafter described. In the main frame below the conveyor roll 43 and close to one end thereof is arranged a water tank 47 which is adapted to receive water from the main tank 28 through a drip pipe 48, said pipe being provided with a regulating valve 49. In the tank 47 is journaled a small roll 50 over which travels a moistening apron 51, the upper end of said apron-being carried by a large roll 52, which receives motion from a beveled gear 53, said gear being driven by suitable gearing 54 from shaft of roll 43. Suitably supported in the machine is a flap guide 55 which guides the flaps of the descending envelops into contact with the moistening apron 51 as the said envelops move downwardly to the sealing rolls. The tank 47 is provided with a spout 56 into which water drips from the pipe 48. It will be readily understood that the envelop flap passes downwardly on the, outer side of the tank. It is also clearly shown in Fig. 4, that the upper portion of the apron overhangs the edge of the tank, so that it is in a convenient position to be engaged by the envelop flap. The envelop guide 55 is so curved as to insure the contact of the envelop fiapwith the moistening apron, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

Threaded in the bottom of the tank 47 is an overflow pipe 56 said pipe projecting a suitable distance above the bottom of said tank. This pipe may be adjusted in the tank to vary the height of the upper end thereof above the bottom of the tank. A surplus of water is supplied to the tank 47 through the pipe 48 and overflows through the pipe 56"*. This insures a suflicient depth of water in the tank and an even amount of moisture on the apron and on the envelop flaps. The amount of moisture supplied to the flaps may be varied by varying the height of the pipe 56*, thereby increasing or decreasing the depth of water in the tank.

Below the feed rolls 43 and 44 are arranged feed rolls 57 and 60 adapted to receive the envelops from the rolls 43 and 44. The rolls 43 and 44 are rotated at a comparatively slow speed as compared with the speed of rotation of the rolls 57 and 60. These latter rolls I call the high-speed feed rolls and they are driven at a speed four or five times greater than that of the rolls 43 and 44. The object of driving these rolls at such a high rate of speed is to direct the envelop downwardly to the sealing mechanism and permit it to have its direction of movement changed and moved into the sealing mechanism before the arrival of the next succeeding envelop. As pointed out in original application Serial No. 543,346 the stamp affixing mechanism operates upon the envelop at the end of its high-speed movement and during a slight dwell in the travel of the envelop and before it has passed into the sealing mechanism. The mechanism for securing the high-speed movement of the envelop is shown and described in the original application and need not be fully set forth herein. The increase in the speed of the envelop is of advantage in permitting the envelop to be moved into the sealing mechanism before the arrival of the next succeeding envelop for the reason that the direction of travel of the envelop is changed and time must be gained in which to pass the envelop into the sealing mechanism before the arrival of the next envelop; so that the twospeed feeding means is of advantage in a machine for sealing envelops, as well as in a machine for both stamping and sealing envelops.

Sealing moans.Immediately following the operation of feeding and aliixing a stamp, as fully described in my application Serial No. 543,346, the envelop is engaged on its sealing side by a compressing lever 170. This lever engages the envelop just under the flap and practically throughout the length of the envelop and forces it against the sealing belt 114. This lever presses the envelop close under the flap and allows the flap to e neatly folded. d wn even though the envelop is excessively full. This lever is mounted on a vertical rock shaft 171, said rock shaft carrying at a point below the sealing and stamping table an arm 17 2 which is adapted to be engaged by a pressure cam 173. Said cam is rigidly secured to the sleeve 88, and normally holds the lever 1 70 away from the sealing belt. The arm 17 2 is provided with a depending pin carrying a roller 174 which bears on the cam 17 3. To hold the roller in engagement with the cam the spring 175 is connected to another arm 176 also carried by the rock shaft 171'.

The pressure lever carries a vertically disposed pressure roll 177 which is adapted to bear against the envelop and over which the envelop moves to the sealing mechanism. To smooth or lay the flap down over the compressed envelop a. spring-pressed flap folding plate 178 is pivoted on an adjoining portion of the frame of the machine on the same side of the envelop path as the pressure lever. As the envelops are carried forward into the sealing rolls by the sealing belt the fiaps will be engaged by said folding plate and pressed against the envelop, and said plate is arranged close to the free end of the pressure lever which presses the envelop under the flap so that the flap will be pressed into engagement with the envelop close to the edge of said lever and as the envelops move forwardly or fromsaid lever.- By this means the flaps will be folded into engagement with the envelops while the envelops are in their compressed condition, thus insuring proper sealing thereof. After leaving the flap folding plate 178 the envelops are engaged by the sealing rolls 179 and 179, the sealing belt traveling around one of said rolls and a smaller-roll 180, the-said smaller roll being located adjacent to the end of the pressure lever 170, but on the opposite side of the envelop path from said lever. Fromthe rolls 179 the envelops are delivered to rolls 181 and 181* and from these latter rolls they are delivered into the stack or magazine 182. the stacker plate 183 arresting the movement of the envelops. To properly arrange the envelops in the magazine or stack a stacking lever 184-. is provided, said lever being rigidly secured to the end of rock shaft 160. Rigidly secured to this rock shaft is a lever arm 185, said armbeing pro vided with a roller 186 arranged to operate in a groove 187 of a cam disk 188 carried by the driving shaft of the machine.

On the stacker lever is secured a horizontal plate 189 which is adapted, to engage the envelops as they are delivered from the rolls 181. and force them into the magazine or stacker, a suitable follower 190 be ing arranged within, the stacker and. against which the envelops are forced. To retain the envelops in position Within the stacker,

spring-pressed holding plates 191 are mounted in the stacker plate 183, said plates being-so arranged that they will fold outwardly or away from the envelops as the envelops are moved intothe stack and then will springinwardly to engage the envelops and hold them in their rearward position, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. It will, therefore, be seen that the envelopsin the stacker will be held under more or less pressure, thereby insuring a proper sealing of their flaps. The stacker plate 183 is adjusted to the right of rolls 181 a distance slightlyless than the width of the envelops. As the envelop is pressed back against the stack, the rapidly revolving rear roll 18-1 helps to force it back and holds it there. The sealing roll 1'81 is driven from the main shaft. The upper end of the shaft ofthis roll carries a gear 197 which drives a gear secured to the upper endof the shaft ofsealing roll 179- through an idle gear 197 This part of-the apparatus runsconstantly, being driven directlyfrom the main shaft.

The sealing rolls 179 and 181- are yieldably supported by means of pivotal arms 181" which are suitably supported in the frame. Spring pressed plunger-s 181 are mounted in tubes 181, said tubes contain ing springs which force the plungers outwardly and thereby yieldingly force the sealing rolls into the envelop path. The purpose of yieldingly mounting the sealing rolls is topermit of'the passage of envelops of different thicknesses. Roll 181- is grooved circumferentially, and in said grooves fit spring fingers 1.92 which serve to strip from said roll the envelops and to prevent them passing around or following the roll. These fingers are carried by the side wall 193 of the stacker'magazinei Having thus fully described. my invention', what I claim as new and desire to secure by Lettersv Patent is:

1'. An envelop sealing means comprising a feeding means", a flap moisteningfl means, a compressing. device engaging the envelop under the flap, and means. for: pressing the flap to the envelop, said means drawing the.

envelop flap edge foremost from the com pressing device.

2. An envelop sealing. means comprising i a feeding means, a flap. moistening means,

compressing means engaging the envelop under the flap and a rolling sealing means adapted to engage the envelop and with: draw it from the compressing means, said sealing means moving theenvelop edgewise perpendicular to the line of its first movement and rolling theflap on. the envelop.

3. The combination of? a flap" moistening means, an envelop compressing, nieansadapted to engage the 'envelopunder thejfi'ap' and a sealing means adapted to engage the envelop. at its flap edge and draw it flap edge foremost from the compressing means and press the flap against the compressed envelop.

4. The combination of a flap moistening means, an envelop compressing means adapted to engage the envelop under the flap, a sealing means adapted to engage the flap edge of the envelop and draw it from the compressing means and a stacker device to receive the envelop from the sealing means.

5. A sealing machine comprising means for feeding an envelop downwardly, means for moistening the flap during said downward movement, means for arresting the downward movement of the envelop, means for compressing the envelop under the flap, means for engaging the flap edge of the envelop and drawlng the envelop horizontally away from the compressing means to seal the same, a stacker device adapted to receive the envelop from the sealing means and stack it rearwardly into a suitable magazine or holder.

6. A machine for sealing envelops comprising a magazine for holding a pile of envelops, separator rolls to feed envelops from said magazine, a flap moistening means, a sealing belt adapted to move the envelop flap edge foremost, a presser device to engage the envelop under the flap and press it into engagement with the sealing belt, a yieldable flap-folding device adjacent the end of the presser and adapted to fold the flap close to the envelop while it is compressed and while it is moving flap edge foremost from the presser and sealing rolls to press said flap to the envelop after it has passed the flap-folding device, said rolls moving the envelop flap edge foremost.

7. A machine for sealing envelops comprising envelop feeding means, a flap moistening means, a presser to engage the envelop under the flap and compress it and its contents, a yieldable flap-folding device adjacent the end of the presser and adapted to fold the flap close to the envelop while it is compressed, means for moving the envelop flap edge formemost from engagement with the presser past the flap-folding device and means for forcing the flap against the envelop after it has passed the flap folding device.

8. A machine for sealing envelops comprising envelop feeding means, a flap moistening means, a presser to engage the envelop under the flap and compress it and its contents, means for moving the envelop flap edge foremost from engagement with the presser device for sealing the flap to the envelop.

9. A machine for sealing envelops comprising envelop feeding means, a flap moistening means, a reciprocating presser device to engage the envelop under the flap and compress it and its contents, means for moviii ing belt adapted to move the envelops past the presser, a yieldably mounted flap-folding device adjacent the end of the presser and sealing rolls beyond the flap-folding device and adapted to seal the flaps.

11. A machine for sealing envelops comprising means for feeding envelops one by one, means for moistening the flaps of said envelops, means for accelerating the move ment ofsaid envelops aftertheir flaps are moistened, means for arresting the envelops after their accelerated movement, a compressing device adapted to engage the em velop under the flap when its movement is arrested and a sealing means adapted to grasp the flap edge of the envelop and draw it from the compressing device to press and seal the flap thereto.

12. A machine for sealing envelops coniprising a two-speed feeding means, means for moistening the flap when the envelop is moving at the lower speed, means for arresting the envelop at the end of its high-speed movement and a sealing means operating on the envelop after its high-speed movement is arrested.

13. An envelop sealing machine comprising an envelop feeding means, a reciprocating yieldably mounted escapement to permit the envelops to be fed one by one, yieldably mounted feed rolls cooperating with said escapement, a flap moistening means, a yield able pressure device adapted to engage the envelop under the flap at the open end thereof to compress said envelop and facilitate the sealing thereof, and yield-ably mounted sealing means adapted to draw said envelop flap edge foremost from the pressure device and to seal the flap.

14. A machine for sealing envelops comprising an envelop feeding means, a flap moistening means, a sealing belt adapted to receive the envelops from the flap moistening means, a presser device adapted to engage the open end of the envelop and to press it against the sealing belt, and means cooperating with said sealing belt and arranged to move the envelop flap edge foremost and to thereby seal the flap, and a stacker device arranged to receive the sealed envelops from the sealing belt and its cooperating sealing means.

15. A machine for sealing envelops com prising means for feeding envelops from a stack, an escapement mechanism cooperating with said feeding means to permit said envelops to pass one at a time a flap noi sstaeker mechanism arranged to receiye the 10 tening means arranged to operate on the sealed envelop,

envelops after they have passed the escape- In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my ment, a presser device arranged to engage signature in the presence of two witnesses.

the open end of the envelop on the sealing LOUIS J H ALL side thereof, means for moving the envelop away from said presser device, flap edge WVitnesses: foremost, sealing rolls arranged to receive WM. R. DAVIS, said envelop flap edge foremost and a L. MAGUIRE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five eents eapn, by addressing the Commissioner of Batents,

washing a .D- 9, 

